By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Government has called on the allottees of the various public housing estates who are yet complete the payments on their allocated homes to do so or forfeit the rights over the housing unit as stipulated in their letters of allocation.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr Wasiu Akewusola, made the appeal on Thursday, August 20 while inspecting ongoing construction of housing schemes in Sangotedo and Epe axis of the state, noting that the plea was directed to those who purchased homes under the outright sales arrangements.
According to him, “Government’s revenue has been greatly affected by defaulters in some of our existing estates. Many have failed to pay up their outstanding in spite of government’s magnanimity in extending the period of grace beyond the statutory 90 days”.
This means defaulters at Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Lekki; Baba Omojola Housing Estate, Gbagada; Shasha Millennium Housing Estate, Shasha; Emeka Anyaoku Housing, GRA Ikeja; Ibeshe Millennium Housing, Ibeshe; Oke-Eletu Housing, Oke-Eletu and Ojokoro Housing Estate, Ojokoro will face the gun.
Mr Akewusola pointed out that letters of offer of units were issued to beneficiaries only after they have consented to the terms and conditions given by the state government which included the forfeiture of homes in case of incomplete payments at an agreed date.
He urged those concerned to ensure that full payment is made with bank drafts after due clearance, and bills have been obtained from the Estate Department, Ministry of Housing.
It was also added that the bill must be issued before the lodgment of the bank drafts to the designated banks.
The Permanent Secretary implored beneficiaries of State Housing Estates who have neither received Letters of Confirmation/Deed of Sub-Lease from the Ministry nor completed their payments to visit the Estate Department in the Ministry of Housing, for verification of the status of their allocations.
He, therefore, charged the affected allottees to support government efforts by paying up so that the government can build more homes and increase opportunities for home-ownership to as many people as possible.
The state announced that a task force from the Ministry would soon visit the defaulters with the aim of recovering the debts of housing units as the case may be.
Modupe Gbadeyanka